“PEAS” BE SAFE!

Kids Kitchen Safety Tips!

It’s such a wonderful thing to teach kids how to cook. It’s an even more wonderful thing, when kids remain safe in the kitchen at all times. There are many checkpoints one can fulfil, when helping kids stay safe in the kitchen. The below are some examples of some cooking tasks which are relatively safe for kids to do:

• Weigh small amounts of ingredients on the cooking scale
• Place placemats on the dining table
• Place serviettes on the dining table
• Sprinkle food with fresh herbs or cheese
• Pour small amounts of cold water into a bowl for the recipe
• Mix the ingredients together using a wooden spoon, provided there are no harsh ingredients inside the bowl (e.g. chillies)

The above will enrich the cooking experience for children. The above will teach them valuable cooking skills, along with keeping them safe in the kitchen, away from sharp utensils, hot surfaces, electricity and many other hazards in the kitchen.

Enjoy!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015-2016 by Karina Teuma

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YOU’RE “MINT” FOR ME!

Karina’s Trifle-Misu with Chocolate-Cowby Custard, Chocolate Soil and Chocolate-Mint Herb Pot Plants

          

If you like cooking, as well as gardening, then this recipe is for you!

This recipe is very fun to do for kids as well as big kids (like me)!

I made up the recipe, however, the idea of an edible plant was someone else’s (not sure who, so all credits go to this person).

Ingredients:

Custard Ingredients:

• 500ml custard made up as per custard powder packet directions (this usually means using custard powder, 2 tablespoons of castor sugar and 500ml of milk).
• 200g good quality milk chocolate
• 3 heaped tablespoons good quality cocoa
• 3 tablespoons premium strength cowboy drink
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Coffee Soak:

• 2 heaped tablespoons of strong coffee
• 3 flat tablespoons of ‘creme de cacao’ Liqueur
• 1/3 cup castor sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 550g Italian lady finger biscuits

Chocolate Soil and plant Topping:

• Ten long sprigs of fresh ‘chocolate mint’ herb, freshly cut.
• 250g chocolate ripple biscuits, crumbled and smashed with a rolling pin

Cream Layer:

• 250g mascarpone
• 400g whipped cream
• 3 egg whites, whipped until soft peaks form
• 3 egg yolks, whipped with 1/3 cup castor sugar, until pale and thick

Utensils:

• 2 x new medium-sized terracotta pots, cleaned thoroughly, then set aside to dry naturally
• 1 x new medium-sized garden trowel, cleaned thoroughly, then set aside to dry naturally
• Foil to line the inside of both terracotta pots, also using the foil to cover the hole at the bottom of the terracotta pot.

Method:

Combine 250g mascarpone with 400g whipped cream, then gently fold in the creamed egg yolks, followed by the whipped egg whites until combined, but still light (refer to cream layer ingredients). Place this cream mixture in a large bowl in the refrigerator to chill.

Place chocolate ripple biscuits in a large and lockable glad wrap bag, ensuring all biscuits are placed inside and all air is knocked out of the bag before closing. Close the bag, then, using a rolling pin, crush all the biscuits until they maintain the consistency of soil. Set aside (away from heat or cold).

Boil 2 cups of water, then, using a spoon and a large bowl, combine all the coffee soak ingredients. Once combined and whilst still hot, carefully and briefly dip all the Italian lady finger biscuits in this mixture, place in a large bowl, then set aside.

Make your chocolate cowboy-custard by following the directions of your custard powder mixture packet and by adding milk and sugar, then follow all directions until your custard is lovely and thick. Whilst your custard is still hot, add 200g cadbury milk chocolate, separated into cubes, then gradually whisk in, along with your bournville cocoa, cowboy drink and vanilla essence. Whisk until all ingredients are well combined, then set aside. Refer to my custard ingredients section under the ingredients section.

Compiling the Beauty:

Grab your two terracotta pots, then line them both with foil. Now the fun begins!

Grab 1/4 of the soaked italian biscuits, then evenly place them at the bottom of one of your terracotta pots. Pour 1/4 of your chocolate-cowboy custard over this, then pile 1/4 of your mascarpone and whipped cream mixture on top. Repeat this process one more time for this first pot. Top with half of your chocolate soil mixture, then gently and artistically stab your chocolate soil mixture with 5 ‘chocolate mint’ herb cuttings. Repeat this process to make your other pot.

Serve with a mess of your chocolate soil and your garden trowel, using your garden trowel as a scoop for your dessert!

N.B. The fresh ‘chocolate mint’ herb is a perfect match for the chocolate-cowboy custard in one mouthful!

This was heaps of fun to make!

Makes 2 pots!

Enjoy!

Karina x

THAT’S “HARDCORE!”

Karina’s Fresh and Safe Cooking Tips for Kids!

• Before you cook with your child, ask your child to put on their apron and to keep them away from any sharp objects.
• Before you cook with your child, ask your child to clean their hands well.
• Before you cook with your child, ask your child to help you pick which fruits, vegetables and meat are the freshest.
• If your child likes the look of fish from the fresh seafood market, ask your child to look into the fish’s eyes, then ask your child “what do you see?” If the fish’s eyes are cloudy, tell your child not to buy it. If the fish’s eyes are clear, then tell your child the fish is fresh.
• Try to gradually build your child’s appreciation for food, by allowing them to help you to select the freshest ingredients, so that you can help your child in making safer food choices.
• Introduce your child to farm animals, so they know where their food came from. One important safety tip regarding this, would be to keep your child far away from an aggressive farm animal, bulls, goats and any other potentially aggressive animals.

Be Safe in the Kitchen!

Enjoy!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

NOT “KID”DING!

Karina’s Safety Cooking Tips!

When thinking about kitchen safety, one thing always pops into my mind: how can we prevent kids from getting injured, whilst in the kitchen. Well, I’m not “Kid”ding about a few key tips, as follows:

• Create a buffer zone, where you keep children at a safe distance away from flammable sources, such as stoves, ovens and toasters etc
• Create a buffer zone, where you keep children at a safe distance away from slippery surfaces, such as wet tiles, etc
• Create a buffer zone, where you keep children at a safe distance away from sharp objects, such as knives and blades, etc
• Create a buffer zone, where you keep children at a safe distance away from hot water and hot water generating appliances, such as kettles and the hot water tap, etc
• Generally, create a buffer zone, where you keep children at a safe distance away from anything which could possibly harm them.

I’m sure there are many other ways, you can help create a safer environment for kids, however, the above are just some examples.

Have fun and be safe!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

YOU “GOAT” TO BE “KIDDING” ME!

Karina’s Healthy Cooking Tip!

Above is a picture of the mother and father goat, along with their “kid,” who was born only one week ago. This was a proud moment for the “kids” parents.

There are many benefits of raising your kids around farm animals you have bred. Too many to mention! The below is a small list of some of the benefits of raising your kids up with other “kids” and farm animals alike:

• Reduces the amount of waste if you do decide that your livestock will be on your plate one day
• Educates your kids about where your food came from
• Encourages your family to eat more sustainably
• Gives your kids a sense of pride, with raising their own farm animals
• Helps your kids appreciate food more
• Animals are a natural stress relief for humans

Enjoy!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

MY KITCHEN RULES!

At first glance, one may assume I may be speaking of the cooking show ‘My Kitchen Rules.’ Diving deeper, there is another meaning.

Let’s pretend I am a child right now, who has written down a set of rules for my parents, to help me stay safe in the kitchen.

MY KITCHEN RULES:

• Please don’t put me anywhere near harm in the kitchen.
• Please store all your knives away from my innocent hands.
• Please provide our home with fire extinguishers, fire blankets, a first aid kit, smoke/fire detectors and anything that will keep me safe.
• Please clean your hands well before you cook for me, so you don’t contaminate my food.
• Once you have finished cooking for me, please turn the stove and oven off because I would like to see my Mummy and Daddy again.
• Please make me clean my hands before I eat.
• Please keep that dead animal in the fridge, until you are ready to cook it for me.
• Please make me healthy meals, that are low in saturated fat, so that I may be healthy. 
• Please read the labels of the food you give to me, to make sure you are giving me the right nutrition. 
• Please try to cook using fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat. 
• Please make sure it tastes good, so that I eat it. 
• Please keep my pets away from where you are cooking, so they don’t get hurt and so they don’t make things dirty.

I’m sure there are more rules, so please help me stay safe along the way.

Thank you Mummy and Daddy,

Love Sam

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

‘Veg’-etating!

Eat Better, Environment, FAMILY, Food, Food Ritual, fresh, gardening, Healthy, Kids, vegetables, zerotohero

via ‘Veg’-etating!

‘Veg’-etating!

Karina’s Environmental Cooking Tip!

Why ‘veg’-etate, when you can start your own vegetable garden!

There are soo many benefits of having your own vegetable garden and even more benefits, if you start from seed!

Some benefits of growing your own vegetable garden, include:

– You save money by not having to buy your own vegetables

– You will improve your family’s health

– You will help the environment, by not having to drive to the grocery store to buy your vegetables

– Your food will taste better and be better for you, since it would be incredibly fresh

– You can trust where your food came from, since you grew it yourself

– Growing vegetables is much easier than it sounds and will give you great pride, joy and a strong sense of accomplishment!

By growing your own vegetable garden, you are teaching kids where food originates from. This is what this world needs: more children learning about good, natural and nutritious food. Besides, you’ll get to see how happy kids get, when one of their seeds they planted, turns into a vegetable! Once your kids grow into adults, then have kids of their own, they will then be able to pass down this sacred food ritual to their kids too. Now, this is what awesomeness is made from!

You don’t need heaps of land to grow a vegetable garden. All you need is a lovely garden bed in your backyard, which will maximise space, create depth and retain nutrients for your vegetables. Now, theres no point ‘vegetating,’ is there? Sorry, my ‘Dad jokes’ are terrible 🙂

One way to get kids to start gardening, would be to make your own garden bed and then have your kids help you plant seeds. If you don’t have a garden at all, fear not: you can make a garden bed for your balcony or porch! Let’s maximise space people and have fun at the same time 🙂

Now, let’s stop ‘veg-etating’ and start gardening!

You will be incredibly proud of what you have planted from seed!

Enjoy!

Karina x

An incredible little Chef!

An incredible little Chef!

An incredible little Chef!

Kids Healthy & Easy Crumbed Fish Fingers with Cheesy Potato Gems!

I could not believe my eyes today! Little Justin, who will turn only 6 years old in a few months, has achieved amazing things today. I was that proud of him, I had to stop a tear from falling! Justin’s mother and good friend of mine, was also very proud of him today! Today, Justin learned the following: food hygiene; hand hygiene; ‘Blades are Bad;’  ‘Stay away from the Stove;’ how to crack an egg into the bowl; how to mix the egg with milk to create a ‘sticky glue,’ how to mash potatoes; how to mix cheese into mashed potatoes; how to roll the potato and cheese into balls and coat into flour, then egg and breadcrumbs; how to coat the fish into flour, then egg and breadcrumbs; and how to clean-up after himself. He really loved his potato and cheese balls! This guy is a natural! Justin cracked the second egg all by himself! He even coated ALL the fish and ALL the cheesy potato gems and hand-rolled all his cheesy potato balls all by himself! This was his very first cooking lesson! Amazing!

N.B. you will need to leave the fish to marinate in the honey-ginger-teriyaki marinade overnight, in order to achieve maximum flavour!

Ingredients:

For the Crumbed Potato and Cheese Gems:

– 1 kilo of starchy potatoes (e.g. Russet Potatoes)

– 200 grams of grated reduced fat cheddar cheese

– 1 egg

– Approximately 150 ml of milk

– Approximately 150 grams of wholemeal flour

– Approximately 150 grams of wholemeal breadcrumbs

– Salt

– Pepper

– Olive oil spray for tray

For the Crumbed Fish Fingers:

– 700 grams of fish (I used New Zealand Freshwater Basa Fillets)

– 1/2 cup soy sauce

– 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger

– 1 Tablespoon freshly minced garlic

– 2 Tablespoons honey

– 1 egg

– Approximately 150 ml of milk

– Approximately 150 grams of wholemeal flour

– Approximately 150 grams of wholemeal breadcrumbs

– Olive oil spray for tray

To serve:

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Method:

The night before:

You will need to marinade your fish the night before. Place all your fish in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of soy sauce; 1 Tablespoon of freshly grated ginger; 1 Tablespoon of freshly minced garlic and 2 Tablespoons of honey to your fish. Mix to coat very well, then place cling film to cover the bowl. Place your marinated fish into your refrigerator and leave it there until you’re ready to cook the next day.

On the day:

Preheat your oven to 230 degrees celsius for a fan-forced oven.

Fill a large pot with 2 litres of water, then bring to the boil. Peel all your potatoes, then cut them into large pieces. Once the water has boiled, place all your potatoes in the boiling water and allow to boil for 10 minutes. Once the potatoes have boiled, turn the heat to off. Strain the potatoes, then place the potatoes back into the pot. Add your milk to the potatoes, then mash until it is very smooth and creamy. Grate your cheese. Once grated, add all the cheese to the mashed potato, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, then mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Set aside to cool by keeping the lid on the potato mix.

While the cheesy potato mix is cooling, you can prepare your fish. Drain the excess marinade from your fish into a strainer, then place your drained fish onto the chopping board. Using a sharp knife, cut all your marinated fish into short strips. Place 150 grams of wholemeal flour into your first bowl. Place one egg, along with 150 ml of milk into your second bowl, then mix the egg and milk together. Place 150 grams of wholemeal breadcrumbs into your third bowl. Place your fish strip into the bowl of flower, mix to coat, then shake off excess flour. Place the same fish strip into the egg and milk mixture, coat well. Then place the same fish strip into the breadcrumbs mixture, coat well, shake of excess breadcrumbs, then place on a large plate. Repeat this process until all the fish have been coated.

Once the cheesy potato mix has cooled, roll this mix into bite-sized balls, then place all these bite-sized balls onto a large plate. Place 150 grams of wholemeal flour into your first bowl. Place one egg, along with 150 ml of milk into your second bowl, then mix the egg and milk together. Place 150 grams of wholemeal breadcrumbs into your third bowl. Gently place your cheesy potato ball into the bowl of flower, mix to coat, then shake off excess flour. Place the same cheesy potato ball into the egg and milk mixture, coat well. Then place the same cheesy potato ball into the breadcrumbs mixture, coat well, shake of excess breadcrumbs, then place on a large plate. Repeat this process until all the cheesy potato balls have been coated.

By now, you will have all your fish and cheesy potato balls coated and your oven is nice and hot! Lightly grease a very large baking tray with your olive oil spray. Place all your potato balls next to each other, ensuring they do not touch. Then place all your fish next to each other, ensuring they also do not touch. Then place in your preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, turning the fish and potato within 10 minutes of cooking. The result will be a super healthy and delicious feast for you and the kids!

Compiling the beauty:

Arrange your fish and cheesy potato bites onto a plate and serve with a wedge of lemon each.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma